Tips to Help New Parents Cope with Parenthood

Raising a child is no child’s play. It requires time, patience and a lot of calm to handle a baby. Babies are unpredictable; the smallest of things can set them off. Their inability to express their feelings – be it for hunger, discomfort or general moodiness makes it harder for parents to figure out what set their child off. It leads to many new parents feeling stressed out and fatigued by the end of the day.

Here are a few tips to help new parents get accustomed to having a new member in their lives and how to deal with it:

Let Your Baby Cry

Babies are synonymous to crying. It’s their way to emote their feelings as they cannot speak and this leads us to panic and think something is wrong. As parents, one has to understand that a baby crying is perfectly normal and it doesn’t always indicate that something is wrong. A baby might be fed and put to bed after a relaxing bath and they might start bringing the roof down again.

Just try to cuddle and console them and let them cry out their emotions and feelings. Check for any unusual swelling or rash to make sure it’s not something external that bothers your baby. If it’s nothing, don’t panic they will calm down after letting it out.

In case your baby develops rashes, you can use diaper rash creams to sooth the discomfort and bring your baby’s tush the relief it needs. You will not only sooth your baby but will also help you earn good cash back and discounts on your purchase.

Spit up and Vomit is not the same

A baby’s digestive tract is still developing and sometimes can cause irritation to the baby. This might lead up to spit up but this should not worry you. Spit up is normal and almost all babies struggle to adjust with milk and food. However, if the frequency of him throwing up is high, that’s vomiting and that can indicate a gastrointestinal infection that needs to be looked into. Call your doctor and get your baby checked if he is throwing up every thirty to forty minutes.

Take Care during Fever

Your baby’s body is just beginning to develop and fend for itself which is why developing a fever is common. Always check the fever through a rectal thermometer and if it records it over 100.4, do not wait and reach your pediatrician at once. If your baby feels warm, do not ignore the signs of fever and give your baby medicine. His body is not strong enough to fight off infection on its own. Your baby might even develop fever due to injections which is completely normal.

Washing Up

You do not need to give your baby a bath on a daily basis. This in fact will leave your baby’s skin feeling dry and itchy. You can give him a bath twice a week and opt for a sponge bath the rest of the days. You do not require lather soap either and just use it on the crevices where the skin folds for example, the arms or below the knees. Gently wipe his skin and hydrate it with lotion post a bath to make up for any lost moisture.

Pay Attention to Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is just as essential as any other activity. Parents sometimes neglect the oral hygiene but this should not be the case. You should develop a good oral plan for your baby from the start. Do not give your baby milk in bed once his or her teeth erupt as this can lead to cavities. Similarly parents should clean the gums with a soft cloth and encourage the use of a toothbrush after the baby is one year old. These habits will go a long way in nurturing good habits.

Taking care of a baby will come with time and you as a parent have to remind yourself that you cannot do everything perfectly from day one. You should not stress out or get frustrated if your baby won’t stop crying or won’t eat, it’s their nature but with time you will slowly understand your baby’s body functions and will be able to better nurture him. Give yourself and your baby some time and the understanding will automatically develop between you and your child. Give yourself a pat on the back for having come this far!